Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

Greece’s “Golden Visa” – program features from relocation

The Greece Golden Visa program, in effect since 2013, offers residency in Greece (and access to the Schengen area) in exchange for investment.

Key points of the program.

1) Real estate investment: the minimum threshold starts at €250,000 in less popular areas.

2) However, in August 2024, a differentiated threshold was introduced for popular areas: in Attica, Santorini, Mykonos, and other areas, it rose to €800,000.

3) Discounts are possible: for properties requiring renovation or conversion, the threshold remains €250,000.

4) The visa is issued for 5 years, with the possibility of extension if the investment is maintained.

5) The visa holder can include their spouse, children under 21, as well as parents and parents of their spouse without having to prove dependency.

Current trends and investor interest

Following the closure of the “golden visa” program in Spain and other countries, Greece is becoming one of the main destinations for investors, and interest from Americans has already grown significantly.

The procedure for issuing a residence permit is becoming faster — in some cases, residency is granted in about 60 days.

http://relocation.com.ua/golden-visa-greece-features-of-the-program-from-relocation/

 

,

Imports of metal products increased by 15.7% to $1.3 bln

In January-September of this year, Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises reduced their revenues from ferrous metal exports by 0.3% compared to the same period last year, to $2 billion 392.582 million.

According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Wednesday, ferrous metals accounted for 8.09% of total export revenues during this period, compared to 7.78% in January-September 2024.

In September, export revenues amounted to $308.547 million, compared to $267.907 million in the previous month.

At the same time, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 15.7% in January-September 2025, to $1 billion 297.497 million. In September, products worth $180.271 million were imported.

In addition, in January-September 2025, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 4.1% to $692.308 million. In September, exports amounted to $71.107 million.

Imports of metal products during this period increased by 14.5% to $900.256 million. In September, $120.571 million worth of these products were imported.

As reported, in 2024, Ukrainian metal companies increased their revenues from ferrous metal exports by 16.9% compared to the previous year, to $3 billion 96.343 million. At the same time, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 13.1% over the past year, to $1 billion 478.814 million.

In 2023, Ukraine reduced its revenues from ferrous metal exports by 41.6% compared to 2022, to $2 billion 647.72 million, with ferrous metals accounting for 7.3% of total revenues from goods exports during this period, while in 2022, the share was 10.3%. At the same time, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 37% in 2023, to $1 billion 307.05 million.

In addition, in 2023, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 16.6% compared to 2022, to $877.92 million. At the same time, imports of metal products increased by 40.3%, to $902.57 million.

,

Ukraine’s agricultural exports fell by 38% in September to 2.84 mln tons

In September 2025, Ukraine exported 2.84 million tons of agricultural products, which is 38% less than in the same month last year (4.6 million tons), according to the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) on Facebook.

The industry association noted that wheat exports fell by 21% to 1.83 million tons, corn exports fell 8.6 times to 61,000 tons, rapeseed exports fell 3.2 times to 238,000 tons, and soybean exports fell three times to 78,000 tons. Sunflower oil exports fell by 42% to 203,000 tons, and legume exports fell by 24% to 177,000 tons.

The only export growth in September was for barley, which rose by 4% to 238,000 tons.

At the same time, 90% of agricultural products were exported through the ports of Odessa, and 2% through the ports of the Danube. The rest of the agricultural products were transported across the western borders by rail (6%) and trucks (2%).

At the same time, exports through the ports of Odessa in September 2025 decreased by 29.2% compared to the same period last year and amounted to 2.522 million tons, through the ports of the Danube by 6.4 times to 68 thousand tons, by rail by 2.6 times, to 175 thousand tons, and by truck by 3.2 times, to 55 thousand tons.

,

Ukrainian Red Cross is developing crisis response mechanisms for emergency situations

The Ukrainian Red Cross (URC) is improving its crisis response mechanisms for emergency situations in cooperation with its partners.

“With the support of the German Red Cross, the Ukrainian Red Cross has delivered modern decontamination stations to the Rivne, Odesa, and Zaporizhzhia regions. These regions have an increased level of man-made and radiation hazards due to the location of nuclear power plants and large industrial enterprises,” the URC reported on Facebook on Saturday.

The first practical training exercises on deploying the stations took place at the training ground of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service in Rivne region. The event was attended by representatives of the UCC’s civil protection department and volunteers from rapid response teams from Kyiv, Rivne, Odesa, and Zaporizhzhia.

During the training, participants practiced decontamination, degassing, and sanitary treatment of equipment and victims.

Such training strengthens the teams’ readiness to work in real conditions and enhances cooperation between the Ukrainian Red Cross and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

Source: https://interfax.com.ua/

 

, ,

Ferroalloy exports from Ukraine increased by 31%

In January-September of this year, Ukraine increased its ferroalloy exports by 31% in physical terms compared to the same period last year, to 77,514 thousand tons.

According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), in monetary terms, ferroalloy exports increased by 22.5% to $86.926 million.
The main exports were to Poland (29.02% of shipments in monetary terms), Algeria (21.98%), and Turkey (20.37%).

In addition, in the first nine months of 2025, Ukraine imported 30,341 thousand tons of this product, a decrease of 57.7% compared to the same period in 2024. In monetary terms, imports fell by 53% to $56.990 million. Imports were mainly from Norway (20.88%), Kazakhstan (15.72%), and France (10.58%).

As reported, the Pokrovsky Mining and Processing Plant (PGZK, formerly Ordzhonikidze Mining and Processing Plant) and the Marganetsky Mining and Processing Plant (MGZK, both in Dnipropetrovsk region), which are part of the Privat Group, stopped mining and processing raw manganese ore in late October-early November 2023, while NZF and ZZF stopped smelting ferroalloys. In the summer of 2024, ferroalloy plants resumed production at a minimum level.

PGZK and MGZK did not produce any products in 2024, while in 2023, PGZK produced 160.31 thousand tons of manganese concentrate, and MGZK was idle.

In 2024, Ukraine reduced its exports of ferroalloys in physical terms by 4.45 times compared to 2023, to 77,316 tons from 344,173 tons. and in monetary terms, it decreased by 3.4 times, to $88.631 million from $297.595 million. At the same time, the main exports were to Poland (27.40% of supplies in monetary terms), Turkey (21.53%), and Italy (19.82%).

In addition, last year Ukraine imported 82,259 thousand tons of this product compared to 14,203 thousand tons in 2023 (a 5.8-fold increase). In monetary terms, imports increased 3.3 times, from $42.927 million to $140.752 million. Imports were mainly from Poland (32.71%), Norway (19.55%), and Kazakhstan (13.9%).

The business of ZZF, NZF, Stakhanov ZF (located at NKT), Pokrovsky and Marganetsky GZK was organized by PrivatBank prior to the nationalization of the financial institution. The Nikopol Ferroalloy Plant is controlled by the EastOne group, created in the fall of 2007 as a result of the restructuring of the Interpipe group, as well as the Privat group.

,

Two drug trafficking groups exposed in Ukraine

Prosecutors from the Office of the Prosecutor General, together with law enforcement agencies, have exposed two large-scale drug networks that operated throughout the country, involving young people in this business and lifestyle; one of them sold up to 10 tons of the new dangerous drug “kratom” via the Internet and delivery services, according to Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko.

“The first one involved 12 members of a criminal organization who set up the production and sale of drugs via Telegram and a ‘stash’ system. The organizers, packers, logisticians, and salespeople worked as a ‘business’. During the searches, finished drugs, precursors, and laboratory equipment were seized,“ Kravchenko said in a statement on Telegram on Saturday.

Regarding the second network, the prosecutor general said the following: 29 people, including five minors, sold a new dangerous drug called ”kratom.” Its effect is 10 times stronger than morphine. Through the internet and delivery services, they sold up to 10 tons of this substance for more than 60 million hryvnia.

“The main target is young people. These are not just numbers, these are ruined lives, children drawn into crime, and addiction that begins with curiosity. (…) We will respond harshly to all cases of drug production and distribution. And I personally am ready to fight for children together with their parents. Because as long as there is at least one child who can be saved from drugs, we have no right to stop,” Kravchenko emphasized.